Supply Help Please!!

hi Ladies,

I need help!! My daugher is 24 week old and has never latched on. I have been pumping since she was born. I was producing 7-10 oz a pump!! Then in October my supply dropped a little, it went back up for a while and then after Thanksgiving it started decreasing again. I start supplimenting with a formula bottle a day because I was not producing enough. Now I'm barely producing 3 oz a DAY!
I'm taking fenugreek 3 times a day, drinking Mother's Milk Tea, gatarade, oatmeal.

Anything else I can try? I really don't want to stop giving her breastmilk!

Re: Supply Help Please!!

How often are you pumping? And how long? Most babies nurse at least 8 times per day, or even 10-12 times per day, so you have to mimic that with the pump. 15-20 minutes or even longer. Another question is whether your pump might be wearing down. EP'ing puts a lot of wear on a pump. What kind of pump do you have? Was it new? Have you changed the replaceable parts (membranes etc). Finally, is there anything else new going on - for example, have you started taking hormonal birth control? Other medications (prescribed or over-the-counter)? Could you be pregnant? Have you started getting your period again? Are you eating foods that can decrease milk supply? (Sage, peppermint etc). Assuming none of that is the case, the bottom line is that supply = demand. So if you want to up supply you need to pump more (with an effective pump).

Re: Supply Help Please!!

I'm pumping 5 times a day for about 20 mins each time and getting 1/2 oz - 1 oz a pump. My pump is new, it's actually the second one since August. Medea on the go double pump. I feel the suction is terrible but I don't know if I'm crazy everyone else loves it.
Nothing has changed in my life really. My supply decreased when hurricane Sandy hit. We lost power and had to stay with relatives and I couldn't pump as often. But it increased a little when we were able to get home. After thanksgiving it started to decrease again and I returned to work on Dec 4th.
No birth control. Def not pregnant! I have PCOS so I don't know if that could be causing a problem

Re: Supply Help Please!!

Returning to work can introduce stress that can decrease milk supply. Get lots of rest, get help at home, eat to hunger, drink to thirst! All the basics!

Pumping more often is how many women are able to increase milk supply. Short pumping sessions can be amazingly helpful. Also, "power pumping" can be useful: pump for a few minutes, take a few-minute break, pump again, break again -- do this over the period of an hour or so.

Finally, you may find that you need to use a hospital-grade pump for your situation for a month or so. It's less expensive than formula! A consumer-grade pump (the one you have) is great for maintaining a supply, but probably not the right pump for re-establishing your supply.

It's not too late!! Your body CAN make more and it will with the right help :0)

A La Leche League Leader may be able to help you find ideas for getting your baby to latch, if that's something you want to try. You can also check with your doctor on your hormone levels (e.g. thyroid) to see if there's something beyond PCOS going on

Re: Supply Help Please!!

Thanks for your help! I'm going to try to power pump tonight (I can't sit in the mothers room at work for an hour)
What's breast compressions?
I was actually looking into renting a hospital grade pump yesterday. I wasn't sure if it would help or not.

Re: Supply Help Please!!

Great suggestions from mamamia. But definitely increase the number of times you pump. 5 is not enough for 24 hours. You want to aim for at least 8. A lot of moms do find that a hospital-grade pump makes a difference. The Medela Symphony would be one example. Especially if you feel like the suction on the one you have is not that great.

Re: Supply Help Please!!

Breast compressions:
Hand in a "C" shape (forming a letter c), compress (squeeze) the breast while you're pumping, firmly but not painful. Hold it there for a moment, then rotate the C shape so that now you are compressing in a new place. Make sure that this isn't displacing the nipple from proper location in the flange. You can single pump and do breast compressions with two hands, really massaging the milk out of the breast while you pump. Pump is going during this. Can also be done while a baby is nursing, making sure not to disturb the latch. This helps release milk from "hidden" ducts that the pump might not have been stimulating. Also, your own hand touching your skin can have the same effect of skin-to-skin with baby -- increasing hormones that encourage milk to come out.